Monday, 22 September 2008

Pak Lah, Now is the Time to Let History Judge You as Our "Gorbachev of Malaysia"

Under SOVIET leaders PRIOR to Mikhail Gorbachev's leadership, those who spoke out against the government were punished, artistic expression was stifled, and the media provided censored information.

When he became President of the Soviet Union in 1989, Gorbachev introduced his policy of glasnost to pressure conservatives within the Communist Party who opposed his programs of economic restructuring(perestroika).

The main goal of glasnost policy was to make the country's management transparent and open to debate, thus circumventing the narrow circle ofparty apparatchiks who previously exercised complete control of the economy.

Freedoms of speech (freedom to criticize thegovernment), freedom of the press, and freedom of expression were all a part of glasnost.

Glasnost gave new freedoms to the people of the Soviet Union, such as a greater freedom of information by opening the secret parts for unallowed literature in the libraries and a greater freedom of speech — a radical change, as control of speech and suppression of government criticism had previously been a central part of the Soviet system.

There was also a greater degree of freedom within the media during and after the Gorbachev era. Glasnost did indeed provide freedom of expression, far beyond what Gorbachev had intended, and changed citizens' views towards the government.

Glasnost was partly responsible for the collapse of Communism.

Quote:

"... There is no doubt that Abdullah Badawi (Pak Lah) is facing perhaps the most momentous decisions of his political life – not just about when he will resign, but also about what he will do between now and the day he steps down.

He should now reflect on his long-cherished ambition to reform our dilapidated institutions of state and restore some shine to our faded democracy.

He may not have the time or the clout to institute these reforms now, (but) he could at least with his awesome power as the prime minister provide a benevolent shield to enable the on-going democratic process to proceed without unlawful sabotage from any quarter.

What the nation is most concerned with at this moment is whether Barisan Nasional will unleash a repressive dragnet to thwart such a constitutional transition, as it has been prone to such indulgence in the past. The latest example was the recent wanton arrests of innocent civilians using the draconian Internal Security Act, though the Act was only meant to be used against armed insurgency.

(Pak Lah) may yet preside over, as premier, perhaps the final turning point towards complete democratization by safeguarding the Constitution from being violated by unscrupulous politicians.

IF he does that, his final days as premier may yet be moments of his crowning achievement –a fair-minded prime minister who courageously stands by his pledge to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution’ at the crucial moment of transition of power - thus becoming instrumental in ushering a new era of reconstruction and rejuvenation from the current decrepit state of the country..."-Kim Quek

The nation may know its fate – whether it will be a future that is nothing more thanthestatus quo of racial fragmentation and corrupt ruleor a BOLD NEW frontier that promises national unity and vigorous growth.

On one side, an aspiring prime minister-in-waiting is relentlessly seeking to take over power with his supposed parliamentary majority; while on the other, the incumbent Prime Minister looks set to succumb to party pressure to relinquish his post to his deputy.

Abdullah Badawi must have silently admitted to himself that he had lost the confidence of the party hierarchy. The remaining question is whether he will step down in the coming party election in December or before October 9 as requested by his dissidents.

There is no doubt that Abdullah is facing perhaps the most momentous decisions of his political life – not just about when he will resign, but also about what he will do between now and the day he steps down.

He should now reflect on his long-cherished ambition to reform our dilapidated institutions of state and restore some shine to our faded democracy.

He may not have the time or the clout to institute these reforms now, (but) he could at least with his awesome power as the prime minister provide a benevolent shield to enable the on-going democratic process to proceed without unlawful sabotage from any quarter.

What the nation is most concerned with at this moment is whether Barisan Nasional will unleash a repressive dragnet to thwart such a constitutional transition, as it has been prone to such indulgence in the past. The latest example was the recent wanton arrests of innocent civilians using the draconian Internal Security Act, though the Act was only meant to be used against armed insurgency.

And even Anwar appeared to be threatened by such ISA arrest when Pak Lah on Sept 17 suddenly called Anwar a threat to national economy and security, with such threat only eased the next day when Pak Lah said he had no intention of making any ISA arrest during his press conference after the fateful UMNO Supreme Council meeting where he was pressured to quit.

Will Pak Lah behave like a democratic gentleman in his lingering days of power and allow the Constitution to take its natural course which may see Anwar coming into power, or will he condone laws and institutions to be abused to frustrate the constitutional process?

Pak Lah (had) played a positive role on two important turning points in the democratization process of the country.

When he allowed the court to act without political interference that resulted in the freeing of Anwar on 2nd Sept 2004.

His graceful acceptance of the stunning set back suffered by Barisan Nasional in the general election of 8th March 2008.

These events could NOT conceivably have occurred under the repressive rule of former autocrat Mahathir Mohamed.

(Pak Lah) may yet preside over, as premier, the third and perhaps the final turning point towards complete democratization by safeguarding the Constitution from being violated by unscrupulous politicians.

IF he does that, his final days as premier may yet be moments of his crowning achievement – a fair-minded prime minister who courageously stands by his pledge to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution’ at the crucial moment of transition of power, thus becoming instrumental in ushering a new era of reconstruction and rejuvenation from the current decrepit state of the country.

The nation badly needs a complete overhaul, and the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional has already reached a dead end with no hope of salvation.

Former de-facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who was recruited by Pak Lah after the March election to specifically spearhead the much promised reforms, recently quit the cabinet in sheer despair of his colleagues’ dogmatic adherence to racist ideology and recalcitrance in perpetuating corrupt governance. He said:

“I faced a brick wall!

I can’t translate or make them (UMNO-BN) understand the basic thing that we are a country that is fair to ALL races, we have the SAME rights under the Federal Constitution. …… I truly feel that the institutions of government, the courts, the police and the judiciary need a major overhaul…..a major clean-up”.

They (UMNO-BN) are NOT ready for a process-driven system, NOT ready for meritocracy, NOT ready for greater levels of accountability and a truly independent judiciary. They would like to cling on the leverages of power based on discretion and privileges.”

These words of Zaid only confirm public knowledge that since the punishing March election, UMNO instead of learning the lesson, has instead crawled deeper into its cocoon of racism and corruption.

And leaders of satellite racial parties like MCA, MIC, Gerakan seem to be collectively suffering from mass denial syndrome when they claim that they can get UMNO to shed its racial hegemony and recoup the lost support from their respective communal groups.

It is far better for these politicians to bravely face the truth now and move according to what is best for themselves and their electorate, than to be rudely woken on the day of next election when they will find their parties completely obliterated by electorate that have long abandoned them.-Kim Quek